Filing tray



S. SMILEY, JR

June 2'1, 1932.

FILING TRAY Filed June 6. 1927 WK 6mm,

Patented June 21, 1932 SAMUEL sMI EY, (In, or oinomna'ri, 'onro, COMPANY, OFV'CINCINNATI, OHIO,

"assrenon TO THE cronnwnnmcxn A'oonronA'rIon or onro FILING TRAY Application filed June 6, 1927. Serial No. 196,794.

The invention is primarily adaptable for vertical filing, the record papers being placed within folders or between partitions adjustable to accommodate for the filing expansion 1 5 and to provide. the necessary working space for inserting and access to the papers, the-papers being sustained substantially erect and confined within the pockets of every subdivision of the file. For quick filing and convenient access there must at all times be sufficientworking space'without continual adjustment of the partitions or follower and rearrangement of the record papers-in the various compartments. 7

The folder leaves or partitions should be sustained in substantially upright position free from compression and with their recline individually limited. b Therefore, an object of the inventionisto support the compartment dividing partitions of the file to permit the same tobe self-adjustablewith the increase of the contents of the compartment formed by the partitions, and to permit an appropriate recline of the partitions to furnish the necessary working space, the partitions of, the filing compartment, being supported within a tray or drawer at aplurality ofpoints which will check the sway of the partitions froma vertical to a definite degree of the inclination and which is non-interfering with the sliding movement of the partition for compartment-expansion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a filing drawer with a followerslidably supported by a pair of rods, the rods being disposed at relatively opposite sides of the drawer and preferably at an elevation. to sustain the follower so that it will consume practically none of the filingspace within the drawer Further objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan viewof the filing receptacle. Y

t Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the forward portion of the filing drawer shown part in sectionfor illustrating the par- .tions on the rods.

lateral extensions or cars Figure 3 is a detail sectional View taken on line 3- -3, Figure 1, detailing the locking member for the follower plate.

Figure at is a detailed'sectional view taken on line H, Figure 2, showing the mounting of one of the upper support rods in the front wall of the drawer.

This invention'is illustrated in relation to a drawer for a filing cabinet. The drawer is preferably fabricated from sheet-metal and the sliding partitions are preferably cardboard, but it is to be understood that neither heoutside structure of the receptacle nor the material thereof is of the essence of this invention. v e v A receptacle 1 is open at the top and comprises a bottom 2, side walls back 5. Vvithin the receptacle is a longitudinally adjustable filing compartment back wall or follower 6. This adjustable follower is slidable on a pair of guide rods or rails 7, one at each sideof the receptacle spaced above the side walls and parallel in the same plane thereto asdisclosed. These rods are mounted detachably in sockets 8 at the front of the receptacle and in brackets 9 extending upwardly from the back of the. receptacle at the otherend. l

The front of the receptacle is of doublewall structure and extends above the side walls. The sockets 8- are secured to an offset portion of the side edge of the front, and the guide rods are provided with heads 10 which are disposed between the walls of the receptacle to hold the rods against longitudinal displacement. The rod heads enter the double wall structure through apertures 11 which communicate with apertures 12 of smaller diameter, the latter apertures being aligned,

with sockets 8, see Figure 4.

The adjustable follower is provided with 13 which overhang the side walls of the receptacle. The metal of eachear is'formed to provide a hollow bracketl l. Each ear and bracket is preferably formed by a bend of the metal of the wall, backwardly to define the lower edge'of the ear and upwardly to provide the-back of the hollow bracket. For neatness and strength, the metal thus bent is angled and 3, front 4 and the wrong filing riveted to the follower wall to constitute a These brackets 14 carry complete closure. sleeves 15 through which the guide rods pass. 7 To each bracket The locking members are joined by a cross handle 20. These locking members are provided with apertures 21 through which pass the guide rods. These apertures are very slightly larger than the guide rods sothat the lockin members can be moved freely over the r05 to the axes of the rods, but engage the same when said perpendicular relationship does not exist. Coiled springs 22'between the brackets and locking members tend to hold the locking members in locking position. When the cross handle is moved toward the adjustable wall 6, the locking members are disposed to slide upon the guide rods, but

when the cross handle is released, the coiled V springs automatically lock the adjustable follower 6 in fixed position.

- The filing compartment, that is, the space between the follower 6 and the front of the receptacle, is divided into a plurality of sub-compartments'hy floating partitions 23. Each floating partition has ears 24 laterally extending over the side walls of the receptacle and each ear is provided with an aperture materially larger than the guide rods which pass therethro'ugh in order to float readily thereon in response to relatively light pressures. If the floating partitions areof cardboard, the apertures are preferably defined by metallic rings 25 which make very little friction with the'guide rods. Each floating partition is provided at its top with an index tab 26. The apertures in the floating partition ears are placed at just such a height that when said partitions are vertical, the guide rods passthrough the centers of said apertures.

It is to be noted that all of the partitions are securely held within said receptacle but are adjustable to provide for variable file contents.

A third guide rod 27 is disposed in a longitudinal depression 28 at the bottom of the receptacle and passes through apertures 29 in extensions 30 of the partitions and follower to provide three point suspension. This construction prevents papers from slipping beneath the floating partitions and getting into sub-compartment.

' The filing receptacles are provided with handles 34 and slide-ways 35, adapting them are raised at their forward s when the apertures are perpendicular the compartments increase.

"to periodically shift to be mounted as drawers in an oflice filing cabinet.

In use, the adjustable wall or follower 6 is setin such a position that the filing compartment defined thereby will approximate in capacity the intended contents. The papers are filedin the sub-compartments and the floating partitions adjust themselves to provide differential capacities determined by contents. As the filed material increases, the

adjustable followerismoved backwardly to provide more and more room.

If it is desired to increase or decrease the number of sub-compartments, the guide rails Y ends from the sockets 8 and are withdrawn from the front wall. Theguide rods are then removed from the follower and partitions and the contemplated rearrangement made after which the guide rods are again passed through the partitions and follower and secured in the brackets at the rear of the receptacle and in the front wall.

This construction tacle very the clerk, and inhibiting to inadvertent .derangement of the file.

Supporting partition sheets ..or folding leaves upon a pair of rods at relatively opposite sides of the drawer and with the rods engaging through apertures in the partitions or'leaves prevents any extended lateral canting of the partitions, and the sheets are thereby checked or locked so that they will assume a definite angular position non-interfering with the sliding movement of the partition for compartment expanse, so that the partitions are self-adjustable as the contents of The partitions or leaves of the folders engaged upon the rods are all appropriately inclined to give the necessary. working spaceyand. the sway is provides .a filing recepchecked to prevent the papers from assuming an angular position which would require represented in a substantially uprightposition and not under compression, with the working room evenly distributed for each compartment irrespective of the contents of the various compartments. Under such conditions, the paper or folders cannot slip under the adjacent folder or partitions .and the operator or file clerk is absolutely relieved of making mechanical adjustments for each filing. Continual adjustment of the partitions or follower, and rearrangement of correspondence in fixed compartments is eliminated.

There are no fixed partitions and no li1nited compartments, hence, it is never necessary to rearrange the papers in order to provide a working space, and it is only necessary the follower .to meet the normal expanse .of the file.

Having described my invention, I claim: A filing receptacle, comprising, .an open convenient from the viewpoint of 9.

my name.

SAMUEL SMILEY, JR. 

